VEN - Barrios convinced Venezuela will improve

SENDAI (FIBA World Championship) - Venezuela forward Alejandro Barrios is certain his side will leave their recent poor form behind them when the FIBA World Championship tips-off this weekend.

Nestor Salazar's men have endured a dismal build-up to the Japan showpiece, slumping to 11 defeats in the warm-up tournaments since leaving their home country.

But the 2.04m forward told the Venezuelan Basketball Federation's official website: "I know we'll keep on improving and will put on a good performance in Japan.

"Luck has not been on our side, but we will go on fighting to claim victories."

Venezuela will play with a mix of experienced players and young talent but they have been hit by injuries to Hector Romero and Diego Guevara, neither of whom will play any part in the Far East.

Their absence was especially felt during the tour of Europe, which Caucagua-born Barrios admits was a real education in how tough the World Championship will be.

"They [European teams] play very physically and we've felt it," he said.

"They are used to playing that way, but we aren't.

"When I enter the court, I am focused on shooting accurately, because they [European teams] move very quickly in defence and pass the ball a lot."

However, the 26-year-old, whose debut came in the 2004 South American Championship, believes the lessons of those defeats have now been learned.

"In the World Championship, things will be better for us," he said.

"Despite losing a lot of games, we've also got a lot of experience."

Venezuela's World Championship Group A campaign tips-off against Lebanon on Saturday, followed by games with France, Nigeria, two-time defending champions Serbia & Montenegro and Olympic champions Argentina.

PA Sport